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Research Chair in Advanced Stem Cell Therapy

The challenge

Bone marrow transplants are predominantly performed to treat common blood cancers: leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. In addition, transplantation has been found to be effective for genetic diseases, like sickle cell anemia,and devastating immune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatologic disorders, such as scleroderma.

While offering hope for many ill patients, transplantation is still far from perfect. Treatments are expensive, prolonged and risky, especially for patients over age 40. For some conditions, blood stem cell transplants remain experimental. The Ottawa Hospital is studying this treatment and identifying how to use transplantation for more diseases and for a diversity of patients.However, in order to make greater strides in this area, more research is required.

The solution

A research chair devoted to leading advanced stem cell research would forward knowledge in this area. Under the guidance of this chair, clinical applications of new and novel techniques and treatments for fatal blood immune diseases and cancers would effectively be pursued.

The research chair,a senior clinician-researcher, will play a key role in leading the first human clinical trials for innovative transplant-based therapies for some of the world’s most devastating diseases, including blood cancers, muscular dystrophy, and spinal cord injury. The Chair will also be instrumental in overseeing larger multicentre national and international trials from implementation to completion, which will result in new solutions to fight disease.

With this chair position, the potential exists for The Ottawa Hospital to further participate in global research into curing devastating acute and chronic illnesses for which there are no curative options.

How you can help

We are raising $1 million to establish an innovative research chair position in Advanced Stem Cell Therapy at The Ottawa Hospital, in order to facilitate better treatment options for patients with untreatable and incurable diseases. Our research is fueled by a passion to create made-in-Ottawa solutions for a healthier world.

“Each of us individually, and together as a community, has the power to define what health care will look like in Ottawa in the coming decades. The Ottawa Hospital is positioning itself on the frontline of today’s medical revolution. We are combining technology and research with expertise and compassion, and what we are creating is a world-class facility that offers you and your loved ones access to the very best of care and top-notch research.”